2022 Ballroom Battle Victories Aren’t Always About Dancing
Photo credit: Viviimage Photography
You know you’ve met a Superwoman when even during her toughest moments, she rises.
And that woman was Andrea Virgin, president of the Boca Raton Center for Arts and Innovation, and one of the eight dancers in this year’s Boca Ballroom Battle this past Saturday night.
When it came time for her performance, Virgin revealed to the 800 people in the audience she had injured herself only hours before and would be unable to compete—after months of practice and preparation.
“About 30 seconds in, coming out of a trick a little too far forward then normal, I felt the pop,” she says. “It was the same pop I experienced at the age of 16 when I overstretched a split. I knew in that very moment, I tore it again and that there was no chance of me getting back up to keep running the routine, much less perform that night. Everyone jumped into action, grabbing ice, calling for supplies and a doctor. And James [Brann], my partner, was hopeful that a few hours would go by and I might still be able to do it. But I knew, as much as I wanted to think that, that that wouldn’t happen”.
Virgin wasn’t the only one stunned. Fellow community dancers like Ryan Haines were, too.
Haines told me. “Andrea is our glue,” Haines told me. “She’s the one we follow in the opening number. She gets us all on the right track from the start,” said Haines, a Marine Interdiction Agent with CBP Air and Marine Operations and owner of RKH Yachts.
Ryan Haines and Loreta Kriksciukaityte; Photo credit: Viviimage Photography
While perfecting her dance routine over the summer, the former ballerina-turned- land-development-engineer had helped energize the whole Ballroom Battle crew. This year’s dynamic group included Virgin, Haines, Howard Kanner (Kanner & Pintaluga, P.A.), Tracey McCutchen Rossi (Marsh & McLennan of Florida), Erica Kasel (The Boca Raton), Jay Brandt (St. Jude Catholic Church & School), Paul Bonaros (Paradigm Wealth) and Lynn Aronberg (Lynn Aronberg Public Relations).
Jay Brandt and Sayra Vazquez; Photo credit: Viviimage Photography
As for the main event, Virgin took to the stage with a gentle walk through the opening number and again during the time that was supposed to be her dance routine. At that moment, it seemed the room gave her one huge community hug. Instead of her live dance, a practice video was edited, put to her music, and shown on the big screen.
Serving as co-emcee alongside WPBF 25 News Meteorologist Glenn Glazer, I asked Virgin what message she had for the audience. She simply replied, “When you are knocked down, you get back up. And the show must go on!”
Andrea Virgin and James Brann; Photo credit: Viviimage Photography
Later, it was Andrea Virgin who took home the female trophy as she raised more than $190,000 for the George Snow Scholarship Fund. Howard Kanner earned the male trophy, raising nearly $110,000.
“What we witnessed last night, through Andrea, is the power of resiliency. Resilience is the same quality many of our Snow Scholars possess. In life, we are often set back by circumstances beyond our control, despite our best efforts. As Andrea put it last night, ‘When you are knocked down, get back up.’ And that is exactly what she did. Andrea’s Ballroom Battle story was an inspiration to everyone in the room,” said Snow.
“I have to also thank Howie Kanner, our male winner, and all of the other dancers for all their efforts. It was truly a team effort of everyone involved that made the 2022 Ballroom Battle the best ever,” added Snow.
Howard Kanner and Loreta Kriksciukaityte; Photo credit: Viviimage Photography
Boca’s Ballroom Battle 2022 raised a record-breaking $900,000 for the George Snow Scholarship Fund. Learn more at www.scholarship.org and mark your calendars for the George Snow Scholarship Fund’s next popular event, “The Rhinestone Cowboy Ball, Boots & Bling” on Saturday, February 11, 2023 at the Boca West Country Club.
